Statistics Korea has released its data on industrial output for June,... and they show a fall in production across various sectors including manufacturing.<br />Kim Hyesung has the details. <br /> Korea's industrial production went down zero-point-seven percent on-month in June amid a sharp drop in capital investment and weaker exports. <br /> This comes after growth in April and May.<br />Production in services did rise slightly by two tenths of a percent on the back of improvement in social welfare and financial services.<br />But it was offset by declines in mining and manufacturing.<br /><br /> "Semiconductor output went up in June, but output in vehicles and chemical products dropped, driving down mining and manufacturing production to zero-point-six percent on-month. Vehicle sales dropped seven percent mainly on lower exports of sedans to Europe. Chemical products dropped three-point-six percent on weaker exports of solar panel-related products to China."<br /><br /> The average rate of manufacturing operation fell slightly, by half a percent,... to 73-point-five percent.<br /> Retail sales, an indicator of consumption, rose slightly on higher demand for nondurable goods like food and beverages. <br /> Facility investment, however, continued to nosedive, dropping nearly six percent on-month in June.<br />It's the first time in 18 years that facility investment has fallen for four months in a row. <br />Statistics Korea attributed the fall to a sharp decline in machinery investment in the semiconductor sector, saying it has started to slow down from the soaring investment seen from late 2016 to early this year.<br />In addition, construction investment also dropped nearly five percent.<br /> Indicators showing current and future economic outlook fell zero-point-two percent, zero-point-three percent, respectively. <br />Kim Hyesung, Arirang News. <br />
